Best K-Dramas for Christmas: 10 Series Perfect for The Holiday Season

First showers of snowfall, festive cheers/lights illuminating the streets and the warm fuzzy kashmere decking your winter wardrobe –it’s certainly beginning to look a lot like the festive season. And what would make the holiday season even more memorable? Snuggling up on your couch, having a hot bowl of ramen as you watch the re-runs of your favourite K-dramas this Christmas.

Christmas is the best time for sharing love, laughs and bonding with your family and friends over your favourite South Korean shows. From those oh-so-mushy romances and nail-biting thrillers to ‘laughing till your stomach hurts’ comedies – there are so many titles for every holiday mood. To sort out your Christmas binge-watching sessions, we’ve listed down the 10 best K-dramas that’ll give you all the festive feels.

Our winter watchlist offers a wide range of genres. Whether you want to get a romantic high with Crash Landing On You, venture on a heart-melting tale of emotions with That Winter, The Wind Blows or reminisce the lingering and bittersweet emotions of childhood friendships with Reply 1988 – the Korean drama universe has it all. Here are our top 10 K-drama picks for Christmas 2023.

10 K-dramas perfect to watch this Christmas 2023

1. ‘That Winter, The Wind Blows’

Directed by:  Kim Kyu-tae

Cast:  Zo In-sung and Song Hye-Kyo

Release Year: 2013

Episodes: 16

If you’re ready for some toe-curling melodrama about wild and intense love, That Winter, The Wind Blows will hit you right in the feels. The story revolves around a conman pretending to be the estranged brother of an heiress, in order to amass the fortune of a rich family. However, he ends up falling in love with his victim – a blind girl. Their romantic tale is no easy one, filled with a lot of baggage and a rollercoaster of emotions. What makes it beautiful is their desperate need and longing to hold onto each other. The settings, cinematography and the beautiful hallyu couple will surely make your holidays more warm and fuzzy.

2. ‘Winter Sonata’

Directed by: Yoon Seok-ho

Cast: Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo

Release Year: 2002

Episodes: 20

If you’re not a fan of love stories, this show will change your mind! A tear-jerker with amazing K-drama tropes, Winter Sonata is credited for the ascension of pop Korean culture into other Asian nations and around the world. Love, loss and tragedy packed in one – the show has all the elements missing in modern romance dramas.

When  Joon-sang moves to a small rural town, he finds himself lonely and isolated until his classmate Yoo-jin comes along. No brownie points for guessing that the two wind up with feelings for each other but destiny has other plans. Joon-sang gets into an accident which makes him lose his memory. Things get messier when Joon’s mother further manipulates him to forget about Yoo-jin. Fast forward to the future, the two move on in their lives with new partners but something keeps pulling them closer and drawn to each other. Will they end up together or will their love wither away with time?

3. ‘Reply 1988’

Directed by: Shin Won-ho

Cast: Hyeri Lee, Go Kyung-pyo, Ryu Jun-yeol, Park Bo-gum

Release year: 2015

Episodes: 20

What’s the holiday season without unwinding, relaxing and basking in nostalgia for the good old times? That’s exactly what Reply 1988 offers you. Set in 1980s Korea, the show sheds light on the trials and tribulations of a family, and how they sail through it all with relentless support for each other. The pain and joy of first love, those innocent moments of childhood friendships and the importance of family – the show is a perfect way to reset in this fast-paced life.

4. ‘Boys Over Flowers’

Directed by: Jeon Ki-Sang

Cast:  Koo Hye-sun, Lee Min-ho, Kim Hyun-joong, Kim Bum, and Kim Joon

Release year: 2009

Episodes: 25

The OG K-drama was a gateway for the world to experience the finesse of the burgeoning genre. Boys Over Flowers became a cultural phenomenon across Asia, proliferating the Korean Wave like no other. Based on the Japanese manga Hana yori Dango, the high school series chronicles the life of a working-class girl Geum Jan-di who gets entangled in the group of the school’s most elite men, called F4. While the gang’s leader initially bullies Geum, he soon finds himself drawn to her passionately. But what’s a love story without some complications? Geum, on the other hand, is attracted to his best friend. Who do you think she will choose?

5. ‘Healer’

Directed by: Lee Jung-Sub

Cast: Ji Chang-wook, Park Min-young, and Yoo Ji-tae

Release year: 2014

Episodes: 20

Thriller, romance and action packed in one – Healer will take you on an entertaining ride this Christmas. The story revolves around an illegal ‘night courier/ Healer/ Seo Jung-hoo who’ll do all the dirty business but kill for the right price. When he’s asked to stalk a woman named Chae Young-shin, a can of worms opens and the viewers are taken into a mystery-filled ride. As fate would have it, the Healer falls in love with the quirky new reporter and the duo brew up some really heavy and hot romance. All this in the backdrop of a cosy, snow-laden South Korea. All the lovebirds out there, you don’t want to miss this one!

6. ‘Crash Landing on You’

Directed by: Lee Jeong-hyo

Cast: Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin, Seo Ji-hye, and Kim Jung-hyun

Release year: 2019

Episodes: 16

Romance fans and those interested in geopolitics will be deeply immersed in this tale of star-crossed lovers, who must navigate their relationship in the midst of the political divide between their countries and the challenges of different backgrounds.

The show chronicles the lives of Yoon Se-ri, a South Korean heiress who (owing to a paragliding mishap) finds herself landing in North Korea. Ri Jeong-hyeok, a North Korean army officer helps her navigate the dangerous and unfamiliar territory as their chance encounter blossoms into love. The heart-wrenching TV show is unsurprisingly, one of the most popular K-dramas of all time, with compelling plot twists and breathtaking performances, keeping you on the edge of your seat.

7. ‘Vincenzo’

Directed by: Kim Hee-won

Cast: Song Joong-ki, Jeon Yeo-been, Ok Taec-yeon

Release year: 2021

Episodes: 20

One of the highest-grossing K-dramas to date, Vincenzo revolves around Korean-Italian mafia lawyer Vincenzo Cassano, who returns to his homeland Seoul after his father’s death, only to find himself on his brother’s hit list. With its fast-paced plot and engaging characters, Vincenzo is a thrilling ride that will keep you hooked every second. If you’re in the mood for some action-packed adventure this holiday season, Vincenzo has to be your pick.

8. ‘Twenty-Five Twenty-One’

Directed by: Jung Ji-hyun

Cast: Kim Tae-ri, Nam Joo-hyuk, Kim Ji-yeon, Choi Hyun-wook

Release year: 2022

Episodes: 16

A beautiful and bittersweet ode to the sparkling days of youth, Twenty-Five Twenty-One will hit you right in the feels. With bleak hopes of achieving their dreams, a teen fencer chases big ambitions and crosses paths with a young hardworking lad who wants to rebuild his life. A coming-of-age story about first love, hopes and dreams, the show sheds light on how people can follow their youthful dreams and aspirations when fate has other plans. 

9. ‘My Love From the Star’

Directed by: Jang Tae-yoo

Cast: Jun Ji-hyun, Kim Soo-hyun, Park Hae-jin, Yoo In-na

Release year: 2013

Episodes: 21

Love those over-the-top romance tales that make you weak in the knees? The Netflix series chronicles a romance between a movie star and a man who has literally descended from the stars.

Do Min-joon is an alien who has been stuck on planet Earth for 400 years now. Just as he gets an opportunity to travel back to his planet, cupid’s bow strikes him. Cheon Song-yi is a famous Hallyu actress who happens to be Min’s nosy next-door neighbour. While our extraterrestrial protagonist vowed never to be involved in humans’ lives, he finds himself being drawn to Cheon and slowly caring for her. Will this relationship reach its happy ending?

10. ‘Legend of the Blue Sea’

Directed by: Jin Hyuk, Park Seon-Ho

Cast:  Jun Ji-hyun and Lee Min-ho

Release year: 2016

Episodes: 21

Rounding up the list of the best K-dramas to watch this Christmas 2023 is Legend of the Blue Sea. Aren’t many of us manifesting a love that transcends time, and travels to the ends of the Earth to find us? This fantasy-romance tale follows a con artist and a mermaid, who takes a long journey across the ocean to find him. Delving on everything from rebirth, fate and unrequited love, Legend of the Blue Sea is a great cinematic experience you don’t want to miss. Will our beloved mermaid from the Joseon era survive in the modern world?

(Hero and feature image credit: IMDb)

The story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Singapore

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Are there any K-dramas to watch during Christmas?

From That Winter, The Wind Blows, Crash Landing on You to Reply 1988 – there are plenty of K-dramas to put you in the festive spirit.